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Friday, January 22, 2010

Pain With A Purpose

I have long desired to be "like Christ." I have prayed consistently that I would be conformed to the image and likeness of Christ over the past 24 years since my regeneration.

God has provided me with many opportunities to undergo this transformation, and those have been in the form of trials and tribulations. I have a dual relationship with trials and this world, I both love and hate them. I hate how I suffer in this world with and over things that have absolutely zero eternal value, but I love how those very same things point me to Christ.

Becoming like Christ is fraught with pain. I am dying. I am dying a little bit every day and death is painful. My flesh, which remains stronger than I could ever believe after 24 years, wants to be my master. My flesh still owns so many of the desires of my heart, so many of my thoughts, beliefs, and desires and these things must be evicted from residing there.

If I was comfortable, and "happy" in this life I would have no desire to change things. I could hum along living life, being satisfied with how things are within me. However, I am not content. I am not happy with the way things are within me. I realize that some (not all) of my reactions to the stresses and trials in my life have been from the fleshy part of me and not at all of the Spirit who lives within me.

Scripture shows me over and over again that adversity can be my friend because it brings me to Christ! Why then, can't I welcome adversity as a friend? Ah because my flesh wants to be happy and comfy. I don't like adversity because it makes me hurt and pain is not something I seek.

The pain has a purpose. The pain reminds me of the changes taking place in my heart and overflowing into my life. The pain brings me closer to Christ who was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isa. 53:3). The pain of my separation from the trappings of the world comes to be a good thing as the loss of all of them represents a falling away of my fleshly desires and a striving forward of my New Man in Christ.

I have no doubt that He will be victorious in my Life- He promises to be! As in laboring with a child, when I have reached my full potential as I stand before Him the pain I have experienced will be but a faint and foggy memory. I will be glad and thankful in that moment.

These are the things I think upon as I suffer and struggle along the roads of this life. One day, I will be complete.

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About: Biblical Counseling for Women

Welcome to the blog! It is connected to my website by the same name (biblicalcounselingforwomen.org). I have been involved in Biblical Counseling and Discipleship for more than 20 years. I am passionate about the critical need for heart change in a person who desires change in their life.

I am the founder and Director of Reigning Grace Counseling Center (ACBC, IABC, AABC Certified Training Center) and Biblical Counseling for Women. I have been writing this blog on counseling issues women face since 2008.

My extensive training has led to certification with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (formerly NANC)), the American Association of Biblical Counselors (AABC), and the International Association of Biblical Counselors (IABC) where I function as the State Coordinator for Missouri. I am also on the Counsel Board for the Biblical Counseling Coalition.

I have authored numerous books and materials for biblical counseling, and co-authored a biblical counseling training course. I am also a featured contributor in GriefShare and a frequent retreat and conference speaker.

I make my home in Kansas City, Missouri. with my wonderful husband. Our 3 sons are grown, and until the grandbabies come I am content to spoil our sweet little Chihuahuas, Buddy and Bambi.

You can find information about my biblical counseling ministries at rgcconline.org, and biblicalcounselingforwomen.org

I know many women are searching for the key to real and lasting change in their lives. They are tired of the self-help approach which is nothing more than rearranging the flesh. They want to escape the cycle of habitual sin that enslaves them. They want something that will work. They want to live the victorious life they hear about on Sunday mornings but cannot seem to make a part of their daily reality.

I hope you will see that you no longer need to live as though you are still in bondage to sin- you are victorious in Christ and He has already set you free. That truth is not found in any self-help book, or in being better or trying harder, it is found through changes in the inner man, the immaterial part of you that the Bible refers to as the heart.

You will find my heart here, in progress. I make no claims that I have "arrived" but I post my thoughts, reflections, and part of my life for your growing.

Spend some time reading the blog, and leave a comment if you like. Just please note that I reserve the right to use your comments (without your name of course) in any future posting or material for publication. Don't forget to visit the websites! I trust you will be blessed.

Reigning Grace Counseling Center

biblicalcounselingforwomen

Materials

To help you in growing and changing in the ways I write about here on the blog, I have posted the titles of the books and materials I have written. You may decide to acquire some of these materials to help you, or for you to use to help others. All of these materials are published by Pure Water Press and available through Amazon